The document discusses emphasis and stress in language. It defines emphasis as giving importance to a certain syllable in a word or certain words in a sentence. There are two types of emphasis: syllable stress, which stresses a syllable in a multi-syllable word, and sentence stress, which stresses content words over function words. The document provides rules for determining syllable stress in words and guidelines for identifying content and function words that are stressed or unstressed in sentences.

1. Emphasis
Stress or Accent

2. Intended Learning Outcomes
• Familiarize with emphasis, its types and the different rules that
govern it.
• Recognize where the stress falls in a syllable in a word and in a
word in a sentence.
• Read words and sentences correctly with noticeable neutral
accent.

3. Emphasis
• Also known as stress.
• The giving of importance to a certain syllable in a word or a
certain word or words in a sentence.
• Characterized by force or intensity, pitch or tone and duration.
• Unstressed syllables or words form part of subordination.

4. Two types of stress
Emphasis
(Stress)
Syllable stress
Sentence stress

5. Syllable Stress
• Also known as accent.
• If a word has more than one syllable, one is stressed and the other
is not.
• Multi-syllable words need a certain syllable to be properly stressed
so as not to confuse its meaning.
TRUStee – reliable, trustworthy person
trusTEE – a person who manages another’s property

6. Ways of determining syllable stress
1. By consulting a dictionary.
2. By remembering how educated speakers pronounce that
particular word.
3. By making intelligent guess.
4. By following some rules.

7. Rules to follow in determining syllable stress
Not a perfect way but may still be helpful
The best way is to consult a dictionary.

8. #1 Most 2-syllable words have stress on the
first syllable.
surely pretty driver
mother pageant leader

9. #2 Reflexive pronouns are stressed on the
second syllable.
myself himself herself
themselves itself yourself

10. #3 Numbers ending in –teen have the stress
on it.
thirteen sixteen fourteen
eighteen seventeen nineteen

11. #4 Words ending in –tion, -sion, -ical, and –ity
have the stress on the penultimate syllable.
examination inversion identical
paradoxical plurality nationality

12. #5 Stress is shifted to indicate a noun or
verb.
Noun Verb
Advice Advise
Conduct Conduct
Contract Contract
Desert Desert
Permit Permit
Project Project
Protest Protest
Record Record
Suspect Suspect
Present Present

13. Note: When the end part is “ate” and the word is noun or
adjective, it is pronounced as [Іt]. However when used a
verb, it is pronounced as [eІt].
Words Noun/Adjective Verb
Alternate Alternate Alternate
Graduate Graduate Graduate
Certificate Certificate Certificate

14. #6 Compound nouns have the stress on the
first word.
sunset lockjaw bridesmaid
meatloaf moonlight blackboard

15. #7 Compound verbs have the stress on the
second word.
outdo outshine outsmart
upkeep uphold underline

16. Note: As a rule, unstressed vowels
automatically become schwa [ǝ].
Stressed full vowel Unstressed reduced vowel
Ball – [bɔl] Balloon – [bǝlun]
Fast – [fæst] Breakfast – [brekfǝst ]
Social – [soʃǝl] Society – [sǝsaitІ]

17. Sentence Stress
• Also called sense stress
• Giving of importance or prominence to a word or words in a
sentence.
• Usually, content words are stressed while function words are
unstressed.

18. Content words – to be stressed
#1 Nouns
Man Cate
city dog

19. Content words – to be stressed
#2 Verbs
drive played
staying blackened

20. Content words – to be stressed
#3 Adjectives
smart patient
handsome gorgeous

21. Content words – to be stressed
#4 Adverbs
slowly nicely
terribly fast

22. Content words – to be stressed
#5 Demonstratives
this that
these those

23. Content words – to be stressed
#6 Interrogatives
what when
where who

24. Function Words – to be unstressed
#1 Articles
• Indicate the presence of a noun.
• A, an, the
I want a book.
You are the second.
Myla is an honor student.

25. Function Words – to be unstressed
#2 Auxiliary Verbs
• Help in the formation of tenses and moods.
• Be-verbs, has forms, do forms among others
Do you want to see me?
She has seen it already.
He will do it tonight.

26. Function Words – to be unstressed
#3 Prepositions
• Words that show grammatical relationships of a word to another.
• At, into, in, on, beneath, above among others
She waited on the left corner.
I am so proud of you.
Maria is at the door.

27. Function Words – to be unstressed
#4 Pronouns
• Take the place of a noun.
• He, we, they, them among others
We saw them last week.
I know it.
Where was she?

28. Function Words – to be unstressed
#5 Conjunctions
• Connect words, phrases, clauses, sentences
• And, of, yet, so among others
You and I are here.
Many are called but few are chosen.
She is so close yet so far.